This week in a nutshell

Hey guys!
This week FLEW by!! It was crazy! Sunday we went to a ropes course with our group as a team building thing. They did the "Leap of Faith". Basically, you climb up  a large tree, crawl on one of the branches, stand up, then leap to a trapeze hanging from another branch! (They were harnessed and safe, of course!)
Then we came back and had a party with over 500 people on campus!! Every children's home we serve was here. It was so cool! We all were wearing the same shirt, so it was just this sea of orange. The guy who bought all of the shirts for all of us said it was so we can all feel like one giant family of God's children. I thought that was pretty cool! We ate really good food, hung out, and kids gave their testimony about all God has done in their lives. It was really cool!
That's also where I met Wendy and Lidia's mom! She's so young! I'm kinda bummed, because a friend of mine took a picture of all of us on her camera, but lost her camera before I got the picture on my computer. :( It's ok though, I'll still remember her!
I got really sick Tuesday night and all day Wednesday. :( No, I didn't drink the water!! One of the American's that came with one of the groups brought cooties with them! A bunch of us got really yucky. :P It was only one night/day thank God!! I got so dehydrated I couldn't get out of the bed for a little bit. :P Go figure, I come to Mexico and catch AMERICAN cooties! lol
Thursday we had this HUGE soccer game! The kids from one of our children's home came to this neat soccer stadium one of the groups rented out for us, and we had such a great time. Chaotic, but really fun!
Then Friday we had our intern outing!! (Pictures to come!!) I had a blast!! I'm gonna try to post a separate post of just pictures right now. Cross your fingers!

FINALLY!! :)

Hey guys!!
I'm so glad to finally get to post again. These past few days have been CRAZY! Even my day off flew by- and the internet didn't work for DAYS here. No bueno.

So, let's see..

I went to Rio III last week! It's my favorite place. Just a quick explanation- "Rio" is Spanish for river- and the Spanish government allows the homeless to create homes, essentially out of garbage, since they don't have government housing here.

We took the group on a walk as we explained a little about the hurricane that hit last year, and what kind of damage that created for the Rio community. As we were walking, a dead chicken was laying on the ground amongst the piles of rotten food and garbage. It breaks my heart. I just can't even fathom not knowing when my next meal was going to be, or when if ever I would be able to clothe my children.
It was SO cool to see all has done for a small church in the Rio though! I honestly didn't recognize it! It had DOUBLED in size!! I'm not even exaggerating! I'm hoping to get to go back next week to take pictures!

I'm rather disappointed in myself!! I have barely taken any pictures!! It's quite different as an intern. There's SO much to do! I love it- it's so rewarding and exciting! But it also leaves little time to take any pics!

We had a GIGANTE FIESTA (giant party!) yesterday!! It was AWESOME! Each year there is a group that comes, and the man who leads the group brings T-shirts for EVERYONE, and pays to have this huge celebration. EVERY children's home we serve came to the back-to-back campus for the party! We had a huge tent set up, the kids got to see this neat program with costumed characters. And we all got to eat these steak (very expensive in Mexico) tacos with homemade pico de gallo and guacamole on them!!! It was so awesome.
The BEST part?! I got to meet the mother of the girls I sponsor!!

I realize this may not make sense- so let me explain as best as I can.

In Mexico, a parent does not need to sign over rights in order to drop a child off at a children's home. If a parent is no longer able to provide for a child, they are able to take them to a Casa Hogar. Wendy and Lidia's mom visits them about once very two weeks or so. I was finally able to meet her. I got a Spanish speaker to come over and try to explain how I was connected to her girls, but I'm not quite sure she understood. She was also very young. It seemed as if she really just didn't know what to do with the girls- if they cried or wanted to be held or anything. I'm really happy to know her, and to be able to put a face on who I am praying for. A friend here took a picture of the four of us, so I'm hoping to get it off her camera tonight! :)

Today's my day off, so it's laundry time! :) I'm hoping to get to go to Pollo Loco tonight with everyone- just have to hitch a ride with someone who's also going here.

I miss y'all and can't wait to hear from everyone when I get back! I honestly can't believe it'll only be 11 days until I get back! How weird!! To be honest I don't feel ready to go yet!!

The kids in Rio III singing to us! I cried, of course!! :) A girl (not in this picture, because she was attached to me!) recognized me!! She also kept asking over and over "are you coming back?" When are you coming back?" I can't wait to see her again. :)

This is me and my friend Kathy Couch! She took me to get ice cream!! We split that GIGANTIC banana split and STILL couldn't finish it! I had such a great time getting to hang out and talk with her!! She is a remarkable woman!!

I think this little fellah's name is Arturo. He was the sweetest. :) He got this tiny little scratch on the bottom of his foot, and asked me to pour water on it (from the pool) to make it better. So, I sat there for about a half an hour, pouring handfuls of water on his little boo-boo. Then, it hit me. This kid probably never gets that kind of attention. You've gotta be bleeding to the point of possible death to get serious one-on-one like that at a children's home! So, of course, I started crying for the 1,000th time this trip. :) There are roughly 8 children per encargata (caregiver)-actually probably even more... and as much as they would love to spend individual time with each child- they just can't. Makes me so sad...

Thanks for reading my ramblings guys! :)

My day off :)

Hey guys!
So it's my day off! I'm hoping this'll actually work and I'll be able to get some pics up from this week!! :)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok...so no luck. The internet here is SOOO sketchy. :P I'll have to try again after worship tonight.

This week has been pretty great! We only had one group- so it was nice and non-hectic. :) Next week we have three groups, so hopefully we've gotten the hang of it all!

I'm gonna ask y'all to pray for me. Whether or not you believe in God/Jesus, He'll still hear you if you pray, so do it. :)

Ever since I've gotten here I feel like I've been goin through what Jesus peeps call a "spiritual attack". I've been REALLY insecure, and just feeling really inadequate and useless. In my head I understand that's not true- and that God has me here for a very specific purpose. I know that there's no reason to be insecure. It's like these thoughts just creep into my head, and I have to fight against them. So- please pray. :)

That aside, I really love it here. :) So far I've used a drill, a tamper, a hammer, shovel- all kinds of stuff!! It's pretty exciting! The staff here has a really awesome mindset about teaching. They could get all the projects done MUCH faster if they just did it themselves. But they all are under the same "Give a man a fish- he eats for a day. Teach him how to fish- he eats for a lifetime" kinda mentality. And even though Todd had to show me like SIX times how to use the drill... he never once showed frustration. :)

We had a kid in the Hope program speak last night. (The Hope program was started because they were finding that once the kids got too old to live in the children's homes, they had no where to go and were falling into prostitution, and drugs simply because they had no place else to go. Plus, school after seventh grade (I think) has to be paid for. The Hope program brings these students onto campus to live with host parents. The see a functional Christian relationship, and get to be a part of a family. Pretty cool stuff!!) It was just so cool to see how God has taken something that started off so awful, and turn his story into something so beautiful. There are so many stories like that here- it just gives a person so much hope.

One thing this place is definitely teaching me is that with prayer and patience- God comes through. Every time. And it's neat hearing people's stories... While they're in their story they are so overwhelmed and hurting, then God comes through in SUCH a huge way.

I feel like I have 1,000 things to say- and can't manage to get anything out clearly. :) Forgive me, please. :)

I'm gonna go check my laundry, and maybe nap. :)

Love and miss you guys!! :) My Facebook e-mail works, if you wanna shoot me a hello!!

Grrrrrrrr :)

Ok, so I FINALLY get a chance to write on my blog and share pictures I got of MY GIIIIIIIRLS!!!!! AND the internet is working! All systems go, right?! Nope!! lol
"Blogger" is updating something, and will not let me upload the pictures.

BUT- I did get to see my girls. :) I was so excited! I didn't even know what to do! I mean, I wanted to run to them screaming "TE AMO!!!!" ('I LOVE YOU!!!) But they'd most likely run screaming. :)
Wendy is doing so much better! Laughing, smiling, even dancing! So cool. And Lidia's doing excellent! She went through a really rough patch where she was so angry.... :( But she was smiling and playing when I saw her! I'm so happy I got to see them!

We also went the the Caderyeta yesterday. It's kind of like the Rio- a homeless area. I cry everytime... :( We helped clean up, and I held it together! I was doing fine! lol Then we went to a church there in the Caderyeta. I later found out the pastor of that church has a salary of $50 a MONTH! :( yikes.
One of the things that really was cool was their worship and prayer. Their worship sounded like one giant hour long song!! It was cool! I didn't know the words, but it sounded awesome. And their prayer- they all pray at once- out loud! It was awesome. And to see how passionate these people were... really encouraging.

So I even made it partway through THAT without crying! Then- a man dragged in two really drunk men. It kinda blew my mind. I didn't really know what to think. :( It made me really sad. :(

Today we went to Imperio De Amor (Empire of love- how cool is that?!) One of the children's homes. We worked on leveling the ground so we could pour concrete tomorrow, then played soccer and basketball with the kids. :) I actually played!! It was fun! I was awful, but it was so fun!!

I really like the group we have now! It was cool, cause we only have one this first week. (We usually have 4-5) It was a nice way to be eased into it all. Most days I still have no idea what I'm doing... but God's been working it out! Most nights I come home completely filthy and exhausted. I wake up around 6am and go to bed about 11pm everyday. I have never felt so happy or fulfilled or excited to wake up. :) I truly feel like I am where I belong. It's like breathing a sigh of relief. :)

Well peeps, I'm wiped out, and am comes REALLY early! I'll try again to post pictures tomorrow! I wish I could've posted some tonight! I have so much to show you!

This I mean to keep telling you-
We can't flush toilet paper where we stay- we have to throw it in a trash can cause the septic system can't handle it.
We can't drink the water where we're staying
I had the bright red hotdogs!! (Salchichas-I got a picture this time!!)

Night night folks! :)

Groups are coming! :)

This morning the internet is actually working! I am so sorry I am not posting lots of pictures everyday and posting everyday. Trust me- I try!! :) I wake up 2 hours early every morning, come down to where we can actually get the internet- and give it a shot. :) So it's not due to lack of effort, I promise! :)

This is my house! :) Well- the girl interns and summer nannies (for the staff people here with kids) all stay in the top part. I LOVE it! :) 12 people in two rooms- and ONE BATHROOM! :) We make it work though- only God knows how!

This is Molly (left) and Sara (right) running through the sprinklers yesterday after a LONG day of cleaning and organizing the bodega! (Spanish for tool shed thingy)

This morning we cleaned and prepared for the groups- now we're just waiting for them to get here!! :) I can't wait! Then we get to go to Casa Hogar Douglas, WHERE MY GIRLIES ARE!!!!!!!!! I am SOOOOO excited!! I'll try to get a picture of me with them today to show how they've grown!

I have to admit- the first day I was here, I felt totally lost. I actually woke up and freaked for a second, thinking, "Oh my word... what have I done?!" Then I had a little cry, lol, then I prayed. And I'll tell you what- it's RARE that I pray and then BOOM! God answers right away and just changes my feelings for me. But that's what happened. Instantly after praying, I just felt this peace... this calm. Knowing I'm where God wants me is enough. :) And later that day, as I was walking around campus I remember thinking, "God- I LOVE it here!!" So cool.

Alrighty peeps- it's time for lunch, then GROUPS!! :)

I hope everyone is doing well- know I am praying for y'all and miss y'all!